All the examples of architecture in the Philippines today are the result of the
growth, time, and varied influences of our neighboring countries and colonizers.
It developed the pre-colonial architecture in the Philippines leaving us with the
Spanish architecture in the Philippines that you can see across the country
especially in Manila architecture, Vigan architecture, and Cebu architecture. As a
result, the country has become an architectural melting pot, featuring both
uniquely Filipino and pre-colonial architecture in the Philippines.
Unfortunately, many architecture and engineering experts based in the Philippine
are lack the sense of preserving heritage townscapes, such as the case in Manila,
Dahil sa mga business proposals to construct structures that are not inclined with
Manila's architectural styles
Art and Architecture
Photo source: Wikimedia Commons
While Filipino architecture is a result of varied influences from other countries,
the country also has its distinct architectural design. One significant style is the
Filipino traditional house called Bahay Kubo also known as Nipa Hut. It is made
of indigenous materials like wood or bamboo, nipa, grass, and other native
materials. Many people know this by heart thanks to the Filipino Folk
Song Bahay Kubo.
The traditional house in Philippines Bahay Kubo is an example of vernacular
architecture in the Philippines that is found in most lowlands all over the
country. Its common features include steep roofs and houses kept off the
ground or water with the use of stilts. The elevation’s purpose is to get through
low-level flooding. The windows of the nipa house bungalow design Philippines
then were huge and made of Capiz shells, allowing natural lighting and
ventilation to enter the house. And here’s an interesting thing about the Filipino
traditional house: it can be transported from one place to another as a whole,
instead of demolishing it and rebuilding it, through the community teamwork
which is famously known as the Bayanihan culture.
In architectural designs in the Philippines today, you can still see the Bahay
Kubo design applied to some establishments like cafes, restaurants, and hotels
to give the Pearl of the Orient Seas a cultural identity and preserve the original
example of architecture in the Philippines.
Photo credits to San Miguel Corporation
When the Philippines had its independence, a new wave of Filipino architecture
rose, as architects started adapting new styles and even merging the traditional
looks of the old era structures into their projects producing some of the most
famous architecture in the Philippines today. Now, the architects across the
globe are pushing for eco-friendly architecture for their projects in an effort to
counter global warming and Filipino architects are doing it as well.
Ang San Miguel Corporation Building-ay isang Iconic Filipino Architecture dahil sa konsepto ng
disenyo nito na “bahay kubo”, at ipinagmamalaki ng mga Pilipino.
Ang dinisenyo ng mag kapatid na Mañosa (Manuel, Francisco, at Jose) ang San Miguel Corporation
Building sa Ortigas ay nagsisilbing head office ng isa sa mga pinakamalaking korporasyon sa
Pilipinas. Ang natatanging disenyo ng gusali ay inspirasyon ng mga terrace ng Banaue rice. Ang
Landscaping ay ginawa ng National Artist for Architecture noong 2006, si Ildefonso Santos, na
itinuturing na ama ng Philippine landscape architecture.
Here are the top five Filipino architects who greatly contributed to the field of
architecture in Luzon and across the Philippines. From applying contemporary
architecture in the Philippines to modifying the traditional house in Philippines
giving it a unique touch, these Filipino architects are worthy to be recognized.
1. Leandro Locsin
The Poet of Space
Famous works: Cultural Center of the Philippines, The National Theatre
building, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center
2. Ildefonso P Santos
Father of the Philippine Landscape Architecture
Famous works: Makati Commercial Center, Paco Park, Nayong Pilipino,
Tagaytay Highland Resort, the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club, Orchard
Golf and Country Club, San Miguel Corporation Building
3. Pablo Antonio
The pioneer of modern Filipino architecture
Famous works: Neoclassical architecture in the Philippines like Galaxy Theatre,
the Far Eastern University, Manila Polo Club
4. Juan Nakpil
A pioneer and innovator in Philippine architecture
Famous works: Manila Jockey Club, San Carlos Seminary, University of the
Philippines Administration & Library, Rizal Shrine, Gala-Rodriguez Ancestral
House, University of the Philippines Los Baños Old Humanities Building, Rizal
Theater (since demolished; the site is occupied by Makati Shangri-La, Manila),
University of the Philippines Theater and carillon tower
5. Francisco Mañosa
The outspoken champion of indigenous architecture
Famous works: San Miguel Corporation Headquarters Building, The Coconut
Palace at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Edsa Shrine, Amanpulo and
Pearl Farm resorts